Police said in the thick of the night an unarmed man got inside a home in the Hanley Hills area in north St. Louis County and gave a sleeping couple quite a scare.
"Out officers received a call for a home invasion and a shooting," said Major Ron Martin with the North County Police Cooperative.
Police later identified the suspect as 47-year-old Cedric Marshall, who lives about 6 miles away from the neighborhood in Wellston.
Prosecutors charged Marshall with burglary and assault.
According to court documents, around 5 Tuesday morning, Marshall first walked through the couple's unlocked back door.
"Mr. Marshall then stood over the husband and wife while he was half naked and that awoke the homeowners," Martin said.
Court documents further reveal the furious husband "ordered him to leave."
However, according to the documents, Marshall then "lunged at the homeowner and stated you'll have to shoot me."
Police say when the two men struggled, the homeowner shot Marshall once in his chest before the 225-pound, partially nude suspect collapsed in the family's backyard.
Neither the couple nor their 5- and 10-year-old children were hurt.
Police said a wounded Marshall left a blood trail inside the couple's home.
Officers found the suspected burglar's pants on the couple's back porch.
Right now, investigators still don't know why the suspect targeted that family's home.
"I don't know that he really had a choice in the matter," Samantha Denny said.
Denny lives down the street.
"I'm very glad that he was able to defend himself and his family and get him out of their home," Denny said.
In a statement, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said in part, "Missouri law clearly provides homeowners with the right to protect themselves, particularly while on their property.
Marshall remains in the hospital.
He's being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond.